(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release: Senior Journalists questioned by Police under new Anti-Terrorism Regulations The Free Media Movement (FMM) is concerned that the introduction of the new anti-terrorism legislation in Sri Lanka is having a chilling effect on media freedom. On the 20th of December 2006, two senior journalists – Ranga […]
(FMM/IFEX) – The following is an FMM press release:
Senior Journalists questioned by Police under new Anti-Terrorism Regulations
The Free Media Movement (FMM) is concerned that the introduction of the new anti-terrorism legislation in Sri Lanka is having a chilling effect on media freedom.
On the 20th of December 2006, two senior journalists – Ranga Jayasurya (News Editor, The Sunday Observer) and Lionel Yodasinghe (Associate Editor, The Sunday Observer) – were summoned to the headquarters of the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) of the police and questioned under the newly enacted anti-terror laws regarding a report related to defence matters published in The Sunday Observer of 17th December. Notably, all three journalists work for the state-owned Lake House newspaper group. Prasanna Fonseka (Senior Journalist, Silumina) has been summoned to the CID on 23rd December on the same issue.
Stating that they were being questioned under the Emergency (Prevention and Prohibition of Terrorism and Specified Terrorist Activities) Regulations No. 07 of 2006, the investigating officers told the journalists they had to disclose their sources to the police, and if they didn’t do so they could be detained under these laws.
The FMM wishes to assert that this is a clear effort to stifle the freedom of the media and the right of all citizens to know information clearly in the public interest. We affirm that journalists have a right to gather and publish viewpoints and opinions in the media, that this right is inviolable and cannot be curtailed by anti-terrorism regulations now in operation, which in operation and intent are a clear and increasing threat to media freedom.
Terrorism cannot be fought by oppressing and censoring the media, or by curtailing media freedom. We once again urgently appeal to the Government to reconsider the introduction of regulations that are incompatible with media freedom and ensure that journalists are not harassed, threatened or censored when carrying out their responsibilities as watchdogs of democracy.
